Disseminating Research Results to University Stakeholders: The Child Health project at Mbarara University

Doreen Omony Akello Public Relations Officer Mbarara University of Science and Technology Uganda The Core functions of a University

- Teaching
- Research
- Community Service

Research forms an important foundation of a university. The strength of any university is measured by the volume.

Unfortunately dissemination of research findings has been limited to only journals and academia. University activities are influenced by both the internal publics and external publics.

- Students

- Employees

- Media

- Community

- Service providers

- Policy makers

- Non Governmental organizations The role of PR

- Act as a link between all university stakeholders by providing information through various medium website, newsletters, brochures, events, open days, exhibitions, mass media Project Objectives

- To improve child survival through a comprehensive community based health education program

The project trains and supports Village Health Volunteers (VHV) in rural Southwestern Uganda to support child health activities in their local communities. Medium of Communication

- Mass media

- Website

- Nomination for competitions

- Brochures

- Exhibitions

- Newsletters

- Open days Challenges

- Inadequate funding for the PR department resulting in inconsistency. It is important for information to flow consistently.

- No funding for PR research

- Personnel

- Understanding the importance of PR Why PR is Important

- PR training provides the skills of packaging and communicating information to a wider audience in a simple way unlike in academia or journals.

- Because PR has the ability to package and tell the story in detail to a wider audience, PR departments in universities need to be supported. Thank You! www.healthychilduganda.org